Ahmedabad: Gujarat Multiplex Owners Association has today taken a final decision not to screen Padmaavat movie across the State on January 25, the release date. President of Association Shri Manubhai Patel who owns Wide Angle multiplex on S.G. Highway of the city said security reasons were responsible for not screening the movie. While government has assured enough security for multiplexes and theaters, yesterday’s violence outside three multiplexes in Ahmedabad and another incident of violence at Rajhans cinema last week clearly exhibited that government’s claims of security were hollow. Gujarat Multiplex Owners Association president Manubhai Patel said police security will be outside the premises but what if protestors purchase tickets and indulge in act of violence inside the premises. What if someone tries to self immolate self(like what happened in the case of film Fanaa in Jamnagar in the past). National chain of PVR multiplexes has in separate statement announced that it is not going to release Padmaavat in its Ahmedabad based multiplex. It should be mentioned here that yesterday’s violence started outside the PVR multiplex which is located in Acropolis mall in Thaltej area. A candle march was organized by Rajput community organizations outside the PVR multiplex from where the violence started. While Gujarat and some other state government had banned Padmaavat release, the Supreme Court had lifted ban and allowed nationwide release of film on January 25. Protesters, none of whom have seen the film claim it hurts sentiments of Rajput community while prominent journalist Rajat Sharma, spiritual leader Sri Sri Ravishankar and many others who have watched the film in pre-release screening claim there’s nothing at all objectionable in the film and it hurts sentiments of community in not a single scene.

DeshGujarat